Ranthambhore's 'fearless' big cat claims a third human victim

A tiger from Ranthambore National Park killed a forester on Thursday, claiming its second human victim since March and its third since 2010.

The big cat, known as T-24, had previously killed a young villager on March 8, and a woman in 2010.

The incident suggests that either there is something seriously wrong with the tiger reserve management, or that the tiger is no longer scared of human beings. Either situation demands immediate intervention by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), wildlife enthusiasts and experts said.

Man eater: Experts believe the killer tiger may have lost its fear of people

The seriousness of the situation is discernible from the fact that in the latest incident the big cat attacked forester Ghisu Singh, 34, while he was walking with three other forest guards and about a dozen construction labourers engaged in repairing Tourist Route No: 1. Singh was supervising the construction work.

The tiger, which is around six years old, came from behind, picked Singh up by his neck, and disappeared into the dense forest before anyone could react.

The incident has instilled a sense of fear in the entire Ranthambore staff, sources revealed. Rajpal Singh, a tiger expert with NTCA and a member of the State Board for Wildlife, conceded that the incident was alarming as it suggested that the big cat was no more scared of humans.

"Though it was a bit early to call T-24 a man-eater, certainly now onwards, the field staff would have to keep a distance from the big cat and simultaneously monitor its movements," he asserted.

Wildlife enthusiast and expert on Ranthambore tigers Dhirendra Godha said the incident had left the entire staff scared.

Rajasthan's principal chief conservator of forests U.M. Sahai said a detailed report had been sought from the tiger reserve detailing the behaviour of T-24.

However, sources pointed out that the authorities failed to monitor the heavy tourist influx after the recent Supreme Court ban on tourism in the park was withdrawn.

The tourist activities and heavy vehicular traffic might have irritated the big cat and prompted him to attack a person who was part of a large group of people, they said.